Nightmare Before Christmas II: The Holiday Master
by HorrorFan6
Summary: This is the story of Eric Pearson, a normal teenage boy who is thrust into the world of Halloween Town to save the Holiday Worlds from the evil and mysterious Holiday Master, who will stop at nothing to gain control over all the holidays of the year.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The town square was utterly silent. Every head was turned in the same direction, up at a giant heart-shaped screen situated on the façade of the town hall, surrounded by fluffy clouds tinted with a faint hue of pink. The images on the screen were dark and gloomy, and the sounds booming from two heart-shaped speakers were loud and harsh on the ears of the townsfolk. But they continued to watch, enraptured by the countless specters all singing along to the same tune.

_This is Halloween_

_This is Halloween_

_Pumpkins scream in the dead of night_

_This is Halloween_

_Everybody make a scene_

_Trick or treat till the neighbor's gonna die of fright_

_It's our town_

_Everybody scream_

_In this town of Halloween._

Several citizens gasped as a tall, thin skeleton leapt out of a fiery liquid being stirred by two short, hideous witches. He contorted his face in a horrible grimace and shrieked loudly, loud enough to make several of the townspeople cover their ears. Several small children in the crowd cried out in alarm, and a couple of people even screamed.

Then the skeleton leapt to the side, landing on a podium next to a short, stocky figure wearing a top hat. Though the screen didn't show them, there was apparently a crowd below the stage, for their cheers and applause rang out through the dark night. The short figure next to the skeleton called out, "Happy Halloween, everyone!"

The screen went blank, and the citizens of Valentine Town applauded politely. A tall, thin man wearing pink robes and sporting feathery wings, walked up the front steps of the town hall, facing the crowd and waving for quiet. "A Happy Halloween indeed!" Cupid called. "But don't forget, there are 106 days until Valentine's Day! Tomorrow, work resumes on our celebration. Until then, friends, good night!"

The townsfolk of Valentine Town dispersed, heading home for the evening. Cupid turned and entered the town hall. The meeting room was decorated with paper hearts hung from the ceiling and streamers of varying shades of red and pink. At the far end of the room was a door, painted red with a large, three-dimensional heart at its center. Cupid took it in both of his hands and twisted it. With a dull clunk, the door opened and swung inward.

Beyond was a small chamber, barely a quarter of the size of the hall behind Cupid's back. Unlike everywhere else, this room had no decorations. In fact, it was barren except for a pedestal that stood in its center. There were no lights, but the entire space was filled with a strong pink glow. It was coming from a small, heart-shaped jewel that was sitting on the pedestal. It was about a square inch in size, made from some rosy pink gem and surrounded by a border of tiny diamond chips.

Cupid approached the pedestal and gazed at the stone for a long time. It twinkled and glistened as though the sun's rays shone upon it, despite the fact that it was in complete darkness. He sighed, wondering what Halloween Town's jewel looked like. Surely it couldn't match the beauty of this precious gem.

It was actually thanks to the citizens of Halloween Town that he even knew of the existence of another holiday besides their own. They must all have a charm similar to this one, he supposed. Even though it had been thirteen years since Jack Skellington had torn down the barriers between the Holiday Worlds, they still had much to learn about each other.

Cupid sighed and murmured, "Why must everything be so complicated?" Then, as an afterthought, he added, "106 days left. I hope we have enough time." Then he turned to leave…

…and almost ran into a towering, black-robed and hooded figure standing in the doorway.

(Some time later)

Cupid's scream of terror echoed throughout the town, bringing hordes of alarmed citizens back to the square. Two cherub guards rushed into the town hall, bows and arrows at the ready. They flew into the Heart Chamber and froze. Cupid wasn't there.

And neither was the jewel.

(Some time later and elsewhere...)

"The Heart of Valentine is gone!" Jack Skellington announced to the silent crowd congregated around the well in the center of the Halloween town square. "There is no trace of it anywhere in Valentine Town. And their leader, Cupid, has vanished as well. The people are in a panic, and rightfully so."

He paused, glancing around at his fellow citizens of Halloween Town. The mayor was wearing his scared face. The corpse child was clinging fearfully to his father's leg. The clown was, for once, not grinning. And Sally stood beside Jack, grasping his bony hand in hers.

Jack sighed and concluded, "The prophecy is coming true."

At this, several of the townspeople began whispering to each other in confusion and worry. Jack held up his hand for silence, and it fell almost at once. He looked down into the depths of the well. The water's surface was smooth and undisturbed. "Show him to us!" Jack commanded.

Immediately, the water began to churn and bubble as if it had started to boil, and it released an eerie green glow. Everyone stepped closer, peering nervously at the frothing liquid. Slowly, it calmed until it was glassy and peaceful again. But the water was no longer clear. Instead, the citizens of Halloween Town gazed in awe at the image of a human teenager.

"This," Jack said into the silence, "is the one the prophecy speaks of. This is the one who will save us all."


	2. Chapter 1: The Forest

Chapter One

The Forest

I don't think I will ever fully understand what happened to me that chilly November afternoon. And I can't ask anyone about it because I'd be shipped off to the nearest insane asylum. No one would ever believe that what I went through was real. I didn't imagine it, I didn't dream it, and I certainly didn't make it up.

I had been walking in the woods with my dog, Max. I enjoyed our walks. They were great for clearing my mind and helping me calm down. And with the big argument I'd just had with my parents, I really needed the me-time.

So I'd failed one pre-cal test, it wasn't the end of the world. I'd already talked to my teacher, and he'd agreed to give me a make-up assignment. Everything was going to be all right. But my parents didn't see it that way. "You're seventeen years old," Dad had said angrily over my attempts to explain. "It's time you learned some responsibility, Eric."

I guess staying after class to talk to your teacher and taking the initiative to arrange extra credit isn't being responsible.

So that's why I was walking on a forest path a few miles from my house. I'd brought Max along, which probably wasn't a good idea; he was getting on in years. I'd had him since he was a puppy. He'd been a Christmas present thirteen years ago. I have very faint memories of that particular holiday season, and not all of them pleasant. I seem to recall holding something strange and frightening, but it was as if my mind was trying to protect itself by blocking it, because I couldn't remember what it was. And then I remember Max.

Now Max was plodding by my side, tongue lolling out and panting. I paused to scratch him behind the ears, saying, "I probably should have left you home. You're getting too old for this."

He just looked up at me and wagged his tail. I sighed and added, "But it's nice to have someone to talk to, even if you don't understand a word I say."

I continued walking, and Max kept up with apparent ease. I shivered and lifted the hood of my jacket over my head as the chilly November breeze stung my face and ears. I kept going, heading deeper into the woods than I usually went. I wasn't too familiar with this area, and I couldn't help noticing that the trees seemed to become more sinister-looking the further I went. The path was soon framed with tall, twisted trunks, dead branches reaching out over me, resembling monsters ready to pounce on their prey.

Max whimpered, and I looked down at him. "Nothing to be afraid of, buddy," I said. "It's just a bunch of dead trees."

It wasn't the trees that had me worried. I had never been this far into the forest. I hoped I'd be able to find my way back.

Someone snickered.

I froze and whirled around. There was no one behind me, at least not that I could see. But I didn't need to see it to know that someone was back there, watching me.

Max whimpered again, and I knew that he sensed what I did. We were being followed.

"Who's there?" I called out.

No one answered.

"I know you're out there. Show yourself."

Still nothing.

I squinted and looked intently at the shadows between the trees, trying to see whoever it was out there. But I couldn't even make out a silhouette.

"I don't have time for games," I said irritably. "Come out and tell me why you're following me."

There was a long silence. Then, finally, the stalkers –there was more than one – revealed themselves, and nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.

They were ghosts.

There is no other word to describe them. There were three of them, chalk-white and transparent. They had no distinct shape, though I could make out grinning faces and wispy, claw-like hands. Their mouths were curved in what appeared to be malicious smiles, and their arms were outstretched.

And they were heading straight for me.

I turned and ran, Max bounding along beside me. I glanced back and saw that the ghosts were following, floating through the air with see-through hands reaching out as if to grab me. I faced forward again and put on an extra burst of speed, desperately trying to outrun them and only dimly aware that I was heading much deeper into this forest than I'd ever been or intended to go. But that was the least of my concerns at the moment.

Then the path curved, and I skidded to a halt. It was a dead end. I looked over my shoulder and saw the ghosts advance, still grinning their evil smiles. Then I dove into the trees and continued running. It was difficult to maintain speed while dodging low-hanging branches and jumping over protruding roots, but I still managed to keep a fair bit of distance between the ghosts and myself.

I dimly noticed that the trees seemed to be thinning, and I could see a light in the gloom up ahead. I ran toward that light, though I noticed that fatigue was starting to sink in. I couldn't keep this up for much longer.

I emerged into a clearing, and I stopped running, looking around in surprise. I was in the center of a circle, with seven trees positioned all around me, all an equal distance from each other. But there was something odd about these trees. Each one had a door carved into its bark, all shaped as various holiday symbols. There was a heart-shaped door on one, a shamrock on another, an Easter egg, an American flag, a jack-o-lantern, a turkey, and a Christmas tree.

I just stared at them for a moment, but then Max let out a whine, and I remembered we were being pursued. I turned around and saw the ghosts had stopped at the edge of the circle. They were still grinning, and I knew they would resume the chase if I ran.

So I darted to the closest tree, the one with the jack-o-lantern door, twisted the knob (which was the jack-o-lantern's nose), and threw it open. "Come on, Max!" I said.

I waited just long enough for my dog to leap into the hollow trunk before climbing in after him. I had no idea if it would offer protection, but it was better than running. The last thing I saw before the door closed, entombing us in darkness, was the ghosts. They were approaching the tree, grins splitting their faces, and I had a sudden realization. They'd _wanted _for me to enter this tree.

Then the door closed, and I was falling into inky blackness.


End file.
